Beloved Husband, Father, and Grandfather. Loved playing and performing polkas with his special built accordian. Now appearing with the Polka Band up above.
Playing a unique 'upside down' Italian scale chromatic accordion, Frankie Zeitz made his mark among Cleveland-style bandleaders. Emulating his childhood idol, Matt Hoyer, Frankie began playing the button box at age 6 and was performing by 18. Frank teamed up with Ernie Benedict in 1945 to form the Polkateers before organizing the Frankie Zeitz Orchestra in 1953. Both bands appeared regularly on radio and television, recorded for major labels including Continental and RCA, and traveled extensively in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Moving to Southern California in 1959, Frankie became the major exponent of Cleveland-style polkas on the West Coast. He appeared with Frank Yankovic, Myron Floren and others, and recorded ten LP albums - five with close friend Joe Mlakar. Frankie's trademark was the "Red Wine Polka."
He was inducted in the National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame in 2013.
Playing a unique 'upside down' Italian scale chromatic accordion, Frankie Zeitz made his mark among Cleveland-style bandleaders. Emulating his childhood idol, Matt Hoyer, Frankie began playing the button box at age 6 and was performing by 18. Frank teamed up with Ernie Benedict in 1945 to form the Polkateers before organizing the Frankie Zeitz Orchestra in 1953. Both bands appeared regularly on radio and television, recorded for major labels including Continental and RCA, and traveled extensively in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Moving to Southern California in 1959, Frankie became the major exponent of Cleveland-style polkas on the West Coast. He appeared with Frank Yankovic, Myron Floren and others, and recorded ten LP albums - five with close friend Joe Mlakar. Frankie's trademark was the "Red Wine Polka."
He was inducted in the National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame in 2013.
Beloved Husband, Father, and Grandfather. Loved playing and performing polkas with his special built accordian. Now appearing with the Polka Band up above.
Playing a unique 'upside down' Italian scale chromatic accordion, Frankie Zeitz made his mark among Cleveland-style bandleaders. Emulating his childhood idol, Matt Hoyer, Frankie began playing the button box at age 6 and was performing by 18. Frank teamed up with Ernie Benedict in 1945 to form the Polkateers before organizing the Frankie Zeitz Orchestra in 1953. Both bands appeared regularly on radio and television, recorded for major labels including Continental and RCA, and traveled extensively in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Moving to Southern California in 1959, Frankie became the major exponent of Cleveland-style polkas on the West Coast. He appeared with Frank Yankovic, Myron Floren and others, and recorded ten LP albums - five with close friend Joe Mlakar. Frankie's trademark was the "Red Wine Polka."
He was inducted in the National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame in 2013.
Playing a unique 'upside down' Italian scale chromatic accordion, Frankie Zeitz made his mark among Cleveland-style bandleaders. Emulating his childhood idol, Matt Hoyer, Frankie began playing the button box at age 6 and was performing by 18. Frank teamed up with Ernie Benedict in 1945 to form the Polkateers before organizing the Frankie Zeitz Orchestra in 1953. Both bands appeared regularly on radio and television, recorded for major labels including Continental and RCA, and traveled extensively in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Moving to Southern California in 1959, Frankie became the major exponent of Cleveland-style polkas on the West Coast. He appeared with Frank Yankovic, Myron Floren and others, and recorded ten LP albums - five with close friend Joe Mlakar. Frankie's trademark was the "Red Wine Polka."
He was inducted in the National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame in 2013.
